Tasaki Garners Second Empire 8 Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week Honor
Mark Becker
HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 22, 2013) – Stevens Institute of Technology men’s tennis senior
Shota Tasaki (Greenwich, Conn.) has been named the Empire 8 Conference Athlete of the Week. Tasaki won five of his six matches this week, including winning second doubles at No. 9 Middlebury College.
Tasaki was a perfect 3-0 with freshman
Ben Foran (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) at second doubles this week, including picking up the Ducks’ only complete-match win vs. Middlebury on Saturday. He also notched two key victories at third singles and second doubles vs. Northeast No. 12 Vassar College on Wednesday and swept both matches (8-0) against Empire 8 foe Utica College later in the day Saturday, effortlessly teaming with senior
Brian Liebeskind (Basking Ridge, N.J.) for the first time this season. Tasaki’s lone loss over his six matches came in a three-set battle at third singles against Middlebury.
The award is Tasaki’s second of the season and the Ducks’ third, with freshman
Matthew Heinrich (Hendersonville, Tenn.) picking up the first of the spring. The veteran is 4-2 since moving up to third singles two weeks ago, including a six-match unbeaten streak between #3 and 4, and 10-4 at second doubles.
Head Coach Steve Gachko will lead Tasaki and the rest of the Ducks as they host undefeated No. 30 The College of New Jersey on Wednesday, April 24 at 3:30 p.m. in the Ducks’ final opportunity of the 2013 season to record the program’s first-ever win over a ranked opponent.